macbeth- lady macbeth Flashcards
transition of lady macbeth
at first she is presented as dominant and confident
slowly is driven mad by guilt
presented as ambitious
when she gets the letter from macbeth she immediatley assumes they need to kill duncan - more ruthless than macbeth
he doesnt believe an ordinary woman could pull off the murder so she appeals to the supernatural to “unsex” her and fill her with “direst cruelty”
she believes macbeth is “too full o’th’milk of human kindness” to pull off the murder and makes him out as weak and a coward
she links masculinity to strength and violence but shakespeare shows women can be just as ruthless as men.
presented as clever and quick witted
she comes up with the plot to drug the servants which shows her cold heartedness
when the murder of duncan is discovered she cleverly draws attention away from macbeths unconvincing speech by fainting
lady macbeth quickly covers up macbeths strange behaviour at banquos feast - she is in control of the situation at the start
how shakespeare uses lady macbeth to explore gender and power
women were seen as kinder and weaker than men but shakespeare uses lady macbeth to show otherwise - “look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”
lady macbeth is controlling and manipulative pver macbeth and woman at this time would not have any power so this would be seen as very unusual that a woman had power over a man
lady macbeth and macbeth are shown as partners which is unusual as men were meant to be seen as powerful over women not as equals
women were seen as maternal and loving but shakespeare uses lady m to show otherwise - lady m sees maternal instincts as weaknesses “ take my milk for gall”- something seen as motherly and caring is to be changed into something dangerous
she is driven mad with guilt
starts sleepwalking which shows she is too disturbed that it is affecting her ability to sleep soundly
she washes her hands in her sleep shows she cant wash away her feelings of guilt easily “out damned spot”
macbeth distances himself from her and this isolation along with guilt causes her to kill herself
her language reflects her guilt throughout:
- at the start she speaks confidently in verse
- by the end her speech is made up of ramblings and repetitions= “come come come come, give me your hand” shows loss of self control
the change is the macbeths marriage
- at the beginning their marriage seems loving and passionate - “my dearest partner of greatness”
- as the play develops lady m dominates macbeth
- lady m becomes increasingly anxious and alone when macbeth reveals less about his plans to her - even though she is dominant she cant cope without her husband
